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For Immediate Release:
May 31, 2019

 

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY RATED #1 AGAIN IN
ENERGY INDUSTRY BENCHMARK REPORT

 

100 Automated Phone Systems Evaluated by IVR Doctors
in the15th Annual IVR Benchmark Report

 

MidAmerican Energy takes top honors for the third consecutive year in the 15th Annual Energy Utility Benchmark Report on Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, released today (May 31) by IVR Doctors. The 2019 Report compares 100 energy utility automated telephone systems in the U.S. and Canada.

 

“Gold Stethoscope” recognition was awarded to winners in 13 categories, including Top Overall Company; Top Electric, Gas, and Combination Utility; and Top Canadian Utility, as well as to 14 “balanced companies,” whose automated telephone system achieved top quartile ratings in all rating categories. 

 

“What distinguishes this report from others is its simultaneous views of an automated phone system from two perspectives: a caller’s experience using it and a company’s experience managing it. Our clients prove that success in both areas is not mutually exclusive,” said Peter Brandt, IVR Doctors’ co-founder.

 

The Report identifies automated telephone systems that successfully balance company objectives and customer preferences in three key rating categories: functionality, usability, and aesthetics, the major drivers of customer satisfaction and system utilization.

 

“Over the years, in clients’ public presentations, we have seen a strong correlation between overall Top Quartile performance and both positive operational metrics and strong caller satisfaction,” said Mark Camack, IVR Doctors’ co-founder.  “The Report also highlights common design mistakes and demonstrates clearly how those errors can have a negative impact on a company and its customers’ experience.”

 

The 100 phone systems evaluated in the 2019 Report were rated using standards which IVR Doctors can apply to any other company interested in inclusion in the Benchmark. No other consistent set of IVR design characteristics have been in place or proven effective in utility industry automated telephone systems over the 15 years of this Benchmark Report. 

 

The 2019 Report is available online at ivrdoctors.com. As an additional benefit, Report buyers receive a customized teleconference with IVR Doctors, targeted specifically to their company’s automated system menus.

 

2019 “GOLD STETHOSCOPE” AWARD WINNERS

CATEGORY / COMPANY

 

Top Rated IVR System - Overall

MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)

Top U.S. Combination Utility

MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)

 

Top U.S. Electric Company

Emera Maine (Bangor, ME)

 

Top U.S. Gas Company

SoCalGas (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Top Municipal Utility

JEA (Jacksonville, FL)

 

Top Electric Cooperative

LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)

 

Top Canadian Utility

Hydro One (Toronto, Ontario)

 

Top Canadian Electric Company

Hydro One (Toronto, Ontario)

 

Top "Touchtone-only" system

Emera Maine (Bangor, ME)

 

Top "Press or Say" system        

MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)

 

Tops in Functionality

LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)

 

Tops in Usability

MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)

 

Tops in Aesthetics

Xcel Energy (Minneapolis, MN)

 

The 14 Top Quartile Winners in all rating categories - “Balanced companies” - are  Gold Stethoscope Winners

and can be found at:  www.ivrdoctors.com/2019-balanced-companies.

 

Special Recognition goes to:

Top Canadian Combination Company: Manitoba Hydro (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Top Canadian Gas Company: Union Gas (Chatham, Ontario)

Most Improved IVRs 2018-2019:

Emera Maine (Bangor, ME),

LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative) (North Fort Myers, FL),
EPCOR (Edmonton, Alberta), and Nova Scotia Power (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

 

 

 

IVR Doctors, with over 25 years of market research, usability consulting, marketing, and call center management experience, specialize in automated phone system diagnostics and optimization. Their practice, with an energy utility specialty, is not limited to a single industry and covers companies large and small. For more information, visit ivrdoctors.com.

 

 

Contact:
Peter Brandt  | peter@ivrdoctors.com | (843) 849-7856 
Mark Camack | mark@ivrdoctors.com | (503) 449-5940      

 

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